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David Myhra
Bachem-Werke
Ba 349 "Natter"
David Myhra
Bachem Ba 349
The Bachem Ba 349 [BP-20] "Natter"meaning
viper or snakewas, near war's end, one of the desperate attempts by Reichsfhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler
to somehow stop American B-17 "Flying Fortresses"
in aerial bombing Germany back to the stone age.
Dipl.-lng. Erich Bachem of Waldsee/Wrttemberg
(about 25 miles [40 kilometers] from Lake Constance
in southern Germany) had proposed a semi-disposable flying machine carrying a battery of two dozen
Henschel Hs 217 R4M 73 mm rockets in its nose
and code-named "Anseon" to Oberst Siegfried
Knemeyer, leader of the RLM's Technical Department.
He and others laughed Bachem, with his uninvited
proposal, right out of the RLM. Bachem then sought
the assistance of General der Jagdflieger Adolf
Galland. Although supportive, his power in the RLM
was waining, having been fired as General of the Fight-
A Bachem Ba 349A "Natter" seen shortly after lift-off and just before it began its
horizontal flight heading straight into an Allied bomber formation. In the 349B version, of which only three are believed to have been built at Waldsee/Wrttemberg,
the 4xSchmidding 533 booster rockets were positioned on the rear fuselage so that
their jet nozzles were parallel to the jet nozzle of the HWK 509 engine. The "B"
version carried more T and C-Stoff and thus was expected full thrust for 4 minutes
36 seconds compared to the "A" version which had a powered endurance of 2 minutes 23 seconds. Scale model by Jamie Davies.
operated together as elevators or differentially as ailerons. These dual purpose control panels are called
"elevons."
The jettisonable nose section was composed of
the stamped metal, honeycomb arrangement of rocket
tubes covered with plywood skin. Aft of the nose section of the cockpit contained the rocket firing control,
hood, nose section jettison control, and the rip chord
which pulled out the tail parachute.
The armament was located in the nose of the fuselage. Aft of the armament was the cockpit, then the
fuel tanks at the center of gravity, while the rear of the
fuselage housed the HWK 509 bi-fuel liquid rocket
engine, which exhausted at the aircraft's tail. On the
outside of the fuselage at its tail end were attached
four Schmidding 533 SR34 solid-fuel booster rockets
for assisting take-off. When the booster rockets were
expended (after 12 seconds) they fell away thanks to
explosive bolts developed by Karl Butter of Ernst
Heinkel AG.
inclined outwards to keep the jet clear of the fuselage. As in other booster rockets, these nozzles were
inclined at an angle to the general axis of the rocket
so that the thrust line would pass through the center
of gravity of this manned missile. The setting of these
boosters was quite critical if stability was to be ensured. A great deal of difficulty was encountered in
seeking to achieve an even balance of power output
from the four individual boosters during the "Natter's"
initial unmanned testing. What happened was that
differential thrust encountered during the "Natter's"
launching tended to throw it out of control even before leaving the launch pad. If it cleared the launch
pad, many flew out of control immediately afterward.
Power Unit
The standard HWK 109-509A2 bi-fuel liquid rocket
engine as used in the Messerschmitt Me 163 was
used. This rocket engine used T-Stoff [hydrogen peroxide and water] and C-Stoff [hydrazine hydrate and
methyl alcohol]. The fuel tank for T-Stoff held 119 gal-
lons [450 liters] and the tank for C-Stoff held 66 gallons [250 liters]. This fuel was sufficient for 80 seconds of full thrust. The HWK 509 produced 3,750
pounds at full thrust.
The fuel feed system was very similar to that used
in the Me 163, Me 263, and the DFS 228. A portion of
the peroxide is drawn off and decomposed to drive a
turbine on a common shaft with two worm-type propellant pumps. The steam producer was a porcelainlined pressure vessel containing a wire screen, on
which were distributed pellets of calcium (or potassium) permanganate. Feeding a stream of peroxide
over this catalytic agent resulted in violent decomposition into superheated steam and gaseous oxygen.
These resultants were piped to the turbine nozzle and,
after spinning the rotor, were exhausted through a rectangular waste nozzle below the fuselage.
The accessory section of the HWK 509 also contained an electric starter on the end of the turbine shaft,
centralized fuel-feed control box with linkage control
to pilot's throttle, pressure regulator valve for the steam
Tailplane
The tailplane was also rectangular in planform without dihedral or sweep back, and the chord was parallel with the fuselage axis and 137.7 mm above it. Two
other tailplanes had been constructed, namely 207.5
mm and 273.7 mm above the fuselage axis. The
tailplane's profile had a thickness ratio of 11 percent
and the same section as the wing.
Take-off Rockets
The Schmidding 533 SR34 diglycol-dinitrate solid-fuel
booster rocket gave 26,455 pounds [12,000 kilograms]
impulse/second, or about 2,205 pounds [1,000 kilograms] thrust for 12 seconds. They were held in place
by explosive bolts. This booster rocket was of the
coated type, with an internal star-section charge and
used a 48 mm diameter nozzle in the summer and a
42 mm diameter nozzle in the winter. The nozzles were
A Ba 349A still in a climbing mode as seen from its starboard side. RLM regulations
did not allow for the German National Insignia (swastika) to be applied to disposable aircraft such as the "Natter." Scale model by Jamie Davies.
the pump at low power, causing the feed lines to become filled with propellants, but pressure developed
at this time was not sufficient to overcome the valve
setting in the main peroxide line to the steam producer.
A bypass line fed back a small quantity of peroxide
(from a pickup near the inlet valve) into the steam
generator. After a few seconds of rotation the turbine
was delivering enough power to the pumps to cause
opening of the normal feed to the steam producer,
and the bypass cut off.
Observing sufficient pressure registered on an
indicator dial in the cockpit, the pilot moved the throttle
to the "first" power setting. This resulted in the opening of three of the hydrate-methanol valves and three
of the peroxide valves in the engine injection plate.
Intermingling of the in-spraying fuels resulted in spontaneous combustion, thereafter continuous so long as
propellants were fed into the combustion chamber.
A starboard side view of a Ba 349A. On its nose cone can be seen the simple visual
aiming sight device for getting a crude sighting prior to firing off its 24 nose-mounted
73 mm R4M rocket shells. Scale model by Jamie Davies.
Above: A pen and ink 3-view drawing featuring the major physical differences between a Ba 349V, 349A, and a Ba
349B. The tail vertical assembly in the 349V was changed considerably in the 349A and featured an elongated
ventral fin. Water-cooled fins in the HWK 509's exhaust orifice, designed by Dipl.-lng. Henry Bethpeder, were to
provide directional stability immediately after leaving the launch ramp. The mounting position of the 4xSchmidding
533 booster rockets was changed, too. In the 349V and 349A the booster rocket's jet exited ahead of the HWK 509
jet nozzle. With the 349B, the boosters were placed further aft so that their 4xthrust nozzles were at the end of the
fuselage... about equal to jet nozzle out of the HWK 509 engine.
Operation
Initially, the launching apparatus known as a "Lafette"
was employed. It consisted of two vertical poles imbedded in the ground and 49.25 feet [15 meters] high
from ground level. Lugs on the wings ran in guides on
the poles. A latter version consisted of a single pole
52.5 [16 meters] high in a concrete foundation 6.5 feet
[2 meters] deep. Lugs on the ventral fuselage and fin
ran in a channel on this pole, and additional support
is provided by two flat strips parallel to the pole which
were in contact with slide under the wings. The launching post could be rotated 360 about the foundation
so that the cockpit of the aircraft was aiming towards
any point of the compass, and was provided with a
winch and tackle for setting the aircraft in place.
The aircraft was shot off with an initial acceleration of about 2.2 times gravity providing 37,000 feet
tent pulse-jet engine was unbearable except in locations forward of the air intake. In addition, according
to Fiedler, the SS said that they could immediately
call up 100 volunteers to ram Ba 349s into B-17 bombers. If the volunteer could bail out prior to the actual
contact so much the better, because that pilot could
take another "Natter" up and ram againbut the SS
believed that very few of their volunteers would survive.
Flight Testing
Erich Bachem presented a proposal for his vertical
launched BP-20 interceptor in August 1944. At that
time Bachem referred to it as the BP-20. It received a
near unanimous rejection. In September 1944
Bachem's BP-20 received the full support of
Reichsfhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler, and the RLM followed immediately. All the initial experimental aircraft
10
25. M-23 - [BP-20] - First manned power launch on 1 March 1945. Piloted by
Lothar Sieber. Crashed, killing pilot.
26. M-24 - [BP-20] - Unmanned test aircraft thought to be under construction
as of 1 March 1945.
27. M-25 - [BP-20] - Manned test aircraft thought to be under construction as
of 1 March 1945.
28. M-26 - [BP-20] - Unknown duties/use/disposition.
29. M-27 - [BP-20] - Unknown duties/use/disposition.
30. M-28 - [BP-20] - Unknown duties/use/disposition.
31. M-29 - [BP-20] - Unknown duties/use/disposition.
32. M-30 - [BP-20] - Unknown duties/use/disposition.
33. M-31 - [BP-20] - Launched from a 26.5 foot high [8.0 meter] tower for
parachute testing.
34. M-32 - [BP-20] - Launched for gantry testing.
35. M-33 - [BP-20] - Unknown duties/use. Thought to be under construction
as of 1 March 1945.
36. M-34 - [BP-20] - Unknown duties/use. Thought to be under construction
as of 1 March 1945.
37. 349A - First production aircraft under construction as of 1 March 1945.
This is not an absolute or complete list. Record-keeping within the RLM and
Luftwaffe circles in late 1944 and early 1945 had broken down and/or were
set afire thanks to the Allied bombing offensive, along with most everything
else as Germany's war-making ability was collapsing throughout the
country... falling head-long to its unconditional surrender on 8 May 1945. For
example, Hans Zbert told this author that there were two M-8s and that he
test flew both: 8a and 8b. Zbert also recalled that around Bachem Werke, at
least, the machine which Lothar Sieber had test flown and died in, was known
as the M-9, not the M-23, as is widely reported. Furthermore, Hans Zbert
said that Sieber's test machine had numerals 2+3 painted on the upper surfaces of the wings. However, on the under surfaces were pained numerals
1+4. So what is correct? Difficult to say, and this author will make no attempt
here to sort it all out... perhaps it can never be, given the sorry state of recordkeeping throughout Germany at that late hour of the war.
11
afire with chunks of burning wood from its tail assembly falling down on its launch pad, which also had been
set afire by the red-hot exhaust of the four Schmidding
booster rockets. A second unmanned tower launch
was tried and was somewhat more successful. This
time the BP-20 cleared the tower, but moments later
fell back to the ground. Bachem Werke personnel
persisted throughout December, January, and into
February 1945. By early February improvements had
been made, and launching a BP-20 was becoming
more and more successful. However, it appears that
in late February 1945 the SS believed that Bachem's
program was not progressing fast enough, according
to Hans Zbert. It was at this time the SS ordered
Erich Bachem to conduct a manned test flight with full
HWK 509 power plus its 4xSchmidding booster rockets. Officials at the Bachem Werke claimed that although the flight test program was showing continued
success, it had not yet progressed to a manned flight
test stage. Nevertheless, the impatient SS demanded that the flight-test program in fact be accelerated. The SS insisted Erich Bachem make a
BP-20 ready for a manned take-off. So it was that
on 1 March 1945, pilot Oberleutnant Lothar Sieber
in Bachem's test machine M-23 and in a lying-onhis-back position pushed the several buttons to
bring the HWK 509 and Schmidding 533s alive.
Bracing for the high-gravity forces he could expect
to experience, higher than any human had perhaps
ever experienced, the BP-20's one liquid and four
booster rocket engines came to life. Sieber's M-23
cleared the tower and continued ascending vertically to approximately 328 feet [100 meters] when
ground personnel saw what appeared to be the
A pen and ink drawing of Dr.-lng. Wernher von
Braun's vertically-launching rocket powered targetdefense proposal in his 6 June 1939 proposal to the
RLM. It's planform was very conventional keeping
with the accepted aircraft layout of the time, however, the RLM believed that there was no need for
an interceptor. What country's aircraft could possibly penetrate Luftwaffe defenses and ever drop a
bomb on the Third Reich?
12
13
14
A pen and ink drawing from 6 June 1939 of the port side
of von Braun's vertically-launched aircraft as it might
have looked mounted between its two guide rails. Erich
Bachem was a big fan of von Braun. It appears that Dr.Ing. von Braun's vertically launched target interceptor
ideas of June 1939 and May 1941 were the basis for
Erich Bachem's "Natter" project of mid-1944.
A pen and ink drawing from 6 June 1939 showing the general planform of von Braun's
target defense interceptor. It would have been launched from two 20 foot high guide
rails which really only held the machine steady prior to lift-off... similar as today's
manned rockets.
15
The "Natter" was not Erich Bachem's first idea for a vertically launched interceptor. In the early 1940s
when he was employed by the Gerhard Fieseler Werke, Bachem had presented his Fieseler Fi 166 to the
RLM as a target defense interceptor. It was turned down because defensive aircraft were considered
unnecessary within the German Luftwaffe. Shown here is Erich Bachem (left) with his family and their
pet German Shepard dog. He left Fieseler in early 1943 to form his own company at Waldsee/Wrttemberg
to manufacture wooden parts for air torpedoes, wooden control surfaces, and pieces for the V-1's fuselage. Fieseler Werke chief test pilot Willy Fiedler invested money in Bachem's aviation wood-working
company and were partners even before the "Natter" project was started. People speak very highly of
Erich Bachem. Willy Fiedler recalled that Bachem was a good person, good to work with and fun to be
around. He enjoyed having people come to his house for dinner, even during the most difficult days of
the war. He and his wife loved entertaining at their home in Kassel, and you often see photographs of
Erich Bachem playing his accordion for their guests.
A pen and ink drawing of Erich Bachem's proposed 2-man bifuel liquid rocket-powered interceptor of the early 1940s.
Bachem had been chief of Technical Development at the
Gerhard Fieseler Werke and his design project was known as
the Fieseler Fi 166.
16
17
18
Bachem's hand-drawn "Natter" idea code-named BP-20 (Ba 349V) of mid1944 for a vertically launched Allied bomber interceptor. Notice the similarity between Bachem's BP-20 sketch and that of his earlier Fi 166 proposal and Dr.-lng. von Braun's interceptor from May 1941.
A port side view of the Ba 349B or Mark II sitting on a wooden cradle. It's
camouflage consists of Light Blue 76 all over its upper surfaces with a
dense mottle of Gray-Violet 75. Under surfaces were White 21. Scale model
by Jamie Da vies.
19
Willy Fiedler is seen fifth from the left in this 1940 photo of Fieseler Flugzeugwerke
test pilots. L/R: Hlenwitz, Schwalbe, Biedermann, Gerhard Fieseler, chief test pilot
Willy Fiedler, Riedig, Wallischeck, Genthner, and Seidemann.
20
Dipl.-lng. Henry Bethpeder. He was the project head of the Bachem Werke and was
in charge of the Ba 349's design development. Most of the information written about
the Ba 349 program post war came from Bethpeder's interrogation by General George
McDonald's intelligence-gathering personnel. In addition, a lot of the current myths
surrounding the "Natter" came from several articles featuring an interview of
Bethpeder and published in Dutch newspapers as "a hero or fanatic." He claimed to
have been an unwilling participant in the "Natter" program and in fact said he had
been sent to a KZ due to his sabotage of the project. Flessner, Zbert, and Fiedler
see Bethpeder differently in that they do not recall Bethpeder ever openly opposing
the war or being sent to a KZ for attempting to sabotage the "Natter" project.
Right: Erich Bachem envisioned a simple 70 foot tall pine tree stripped of its bark as
the BP-20's launcher once serial production got underway at small shops all over
Germany. Pine trees were to be found all over Germany. His "Natters" could be
transported to where they were needed... a 70 foot tall pine tree could be cut down,
stripped of its bark and made into a launcher for a BP-20.
21
Normally the Ba 349 would lift-off at the time the Allied bomber formation was nearest to its starting point. Upon lift-off it would be
flown in an inclined path towards the bomber. After the formation
had been attacked with its 24 73 mm R4M rocket shells at a range of
[50 to 100 meters], the Ba 349 would go into a dive guided down to
about [3,000 meters] if possible over suitable country side. Since
this aircraft could not be flown as a glider due to its extremely high
sink rate once the pilot fired its R4M rocket shells he needed to make
immediate plans to abandon the machine. The next sequence would
be the jettisoning of the aircraft/missile's nose which then fell away.
The pilot released his safety harness and folded the control stick/
column forward. With this action the "Natter's" rear engine/tail section would break off and fall away. The pilot would be automatically
pulled out of his cockpit, too, and once clear of the aircraft, he would
then open his own parachute and land in the normal manner.
A poor quality photo of Ernsf Heinkel AG's Dipl.-lng. Karl Butter (right) with the
RLM's chief of Technical Development Ernst Udet. Karl Butter was the inventor of
the explosive bolt. About 1941.
22
An artist's pen and ink illustration of a typical Ba 349 firing off its 24 R4M
rocket shells in one salvo into an Allied bomber formation. Each one of the 73
mm R4M rocket shells carried 4 grams of the high explosive powder Hexagen.
23
This is what Erich Bachem and Reichsfhrer-SS Himmler believed would be the result
after a "Natter" had released its 24 R4M rocket shells. Here we see a B-17 with its starboard wing blown off at its wing root by a Flak shell.
If the "Natter's" R4M 73 mm rocket shells missed their mark the pilot was instructed to ram a B-17 as depicted in this pen and ink illustration, however,
bailing out moments before impact. Willy Fiedler stated during interrogation
post war that at war's end as many as 200 members of the SS had volunteered
to pilot the Ba 349 and were willing to give their lives if necessary to stop the
destruction being caused by aerial bombing.
24
This B-17 has also suffered a direct hit from a Flak shellthe same results Bachem and Himmler believed would
happen from a direct hit by a single R4M rocket shelland has rolled over on its back as its entire port wing is
falling away.
Bachem's initial flight launching/testing of the Ba 349 was done with a permanent metal frame vertical ramp as
shown in this photograph. Later, Bachem wanted to use a single 70 foot tall pine pole to launch his "Natter" from
sites all over Germany. In early 1945, the RLM had ordered 1,000 cockpit instruments per month to be delivered
to Ba 349 manufacturing facilities. So, it appeared, that Bachem and the SS believed that they had a workable
and effective machine for countering the increasing number of Allied bomber formations over Germany.
25
26
The headquarters of the RLM-Berlin where Bachem took his proposal for the BP-20. This
photograph was taken shortly after the building was completed in the late 1930s.
This is how the RLM building (center of picture) looked post war
after the Red Army's shelling of Berlin. The street has been cleared
of rubble so military vehicles can make their way without obstruction.
27
Above: Three other unofficial boss' of the RLM: Roluf Lucht, Gottfried Reidenbach,
and Helmutt Schelp. All in all there were about six leaders within the RLM who
labeled themselves as members of "the club," and as Helmutt Schelp once told this
author in a telephone interview, "we ran the show, and that show didn't include
Erich Bachem's vertically launched manned missile... at least not up until
Reichsfhrer-SS Himmler intervened."
Left: Oberst Siegfried Knemeyer, the very powerful, highly intelligent, and influential director of RLM's Technical Office and the RLM in general. In 1944/1945 he was
pretty much the "godfather" of the RLM and from this photo of Knemeyer, his sly
smile represents the general reaction Erich Bachem received when he presented
them his idea of the BP-20... bemusement bordering on laughter.
28
Dr.-Med. Siegfried Ruff, director of flight medicine for the RLM, said that a human
pilot could withstand 2.2 times gravity expected during take-off of the "Natter" after
leaving its launch pad. In addition, the pilot would be laying on his back throughout
take-off allowing him to take even higher "g" forces before passing out. Consequently, the pilot's position in the vertically launched rocket-powered BP-20 interceptor was very good. Dr. Ruff, a sailplane enthusiast from Bonn, had been a lifelong friend of Reimar Horten of the Horten brothers and their all-wing sailplanes,
also from Bonn.
29
Graphically shown in this series of photos are a pilot's reaction as the amount of gravity he
experiences in various seating positions. Dr. Ruff stated that at 2.2 times gravity experienced by a "Natter" pilot after lift-off, the pilot would not likely "black out" nor lose control
of his machine. The worse position to withstand high "g" is in an upright sitting. The superior position is where the pilot is able to lay on his back. Dr. Ruff, through his extensive
research found that a pilot on his back could withstand up to 14 "g's" for as long as 120 to
180 seconds without blacking out. What happen to Oberleutnant Sieber during the first
manned test flight of the Ba 349 M-23 on 18 February 1945 remains a mystery to this day.
However, it appears that Sieber's cockpit canopy with the attached head rest flew off. In
doing so Sieber may have suffered his head injury's rendering him unconscious.
Erich Bachem, undaunted after Galland failed to sway the RLM's club, sought
out Reichsfhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler and received an audience with perhaps the single most feared individual in the Third Reich and presented his
plans for a vertically launched interceptor. Himmler shown here in this photograph is second from the left. Next to Himmler is another highly feared SS
individual... Reinhard Heydrich the so-called "Butcher of Prague."
30
Bachem described to Himmler how Allied bomber formations such as American B-17s and
not their fighter escorts, would be the target of his proposed BP-20 rocket-powered interceptor. The P-47s and P-51s, said Bachem, would be unable to shoot down the "Natter" as
it made its very high-speed approach into the B-17 bomber pack.
Bachem showed Himmler illustrations how the BP-20 would lift-off supported by a freshly
cut pine tree placed in the ground at locations anywhere within the Third Reich where
Allied bombers were concentrating their formations.
31
A port side nose view of the twenty four R4Ms arranged in the nose of the
Ba 349A. They were covered during lift-off by a jettisonable plexiglass nosecone and were all fired simultaneously by electricity and detonated by a
proximity fuse.
32
A direct on nose view of the Ba 349A with its twenty four R4M
rocket shells as seen at Freeman Field post war. The battery of
rockets were aimed by a crude ring sight which can be seen a few
feet aft the Ba 349s nose.
A pen and ink drawing of the Ba 349A as seen from its port side.
a. plexiglass nose cone
b. rocket tubes containing the 24 73 mm R4M rocket shells
c. pilot and seat position
d. C-Stoff tank
e. T-Stoff tank
f. HWK 509s propellant waste drain after shut down
g. HWK 509s rocket motor housing
h. HWK 509s thrust tube connecting the rocket motor and the
combustion chamber
33
A fully assembled HWK 509 bi-fuel liquid rocket engine on a test stand. The
entire engine weighed only 374 pounds [170 kilograms].
A pen and ink illustration of the several wooden component parts for a complete Ba 349A "Natter" and how they all fit together during assembly.
34
Erich Bachem (left) and Waffen-SS General Wolff (center). General Wolff was general director of the Ba 349
project.
35
36
37
38
L/R: SS General Frank, Reichsfhrer-SS Himmler, and Waffen-SS General Wolff. General Wolff was in charge of the Ba 349 program, its development, serial production,
testing, and operational readiness all taking place at the Bachem Werke, Waldsee/
Wrttemberg.
39
Waffen-SS Oberleutant Dipl.-lng. Heinz Flessner. The 33 year old was in charge of 200
"wounded" Waffen-SS personnel assigned to the Ba 349 program at Bachem Werke, Waldsee/
Wrttemberg. Flessner told this author that the job of the Waffen-SS at the Bachem Werke was
find food, supplies, fuel, tools, trucks, and so on needed to support the "Natter" project. A very
difficult job at that late hour of the war. Flessner and his men would fan out to neighboring towns,
farms, and villages to physically obtainwith force, if necessaryfrom anyone anywhere all the
items the Bachem Werke required to develop and test the "Natter." "This was the job of the
Waffen-SS men assigned to the Bachem Werke.
40
Right: Waffen-SS Oberleutant Heinz Flessner. Although it was late 1944/early 1945, the Waffen-SS personnel at Bachem Werke still carried on their strict dress code and personal appearance as this picture
shows. Flessner had served with the Waffen-SS at the Russian Front, was wounded, and sent back to
Germany for hospitalization. Had he not been wounded, he told this author, in all likelihood he would
have been captured by the Soviets as were his entire division and later died in captivity as they did. In
post war Germany all living members of the former SS are socially and economically penalized/condemned for the sins of their Reichsfhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler, he told me, although the Waffen-SS
and the KZ-SS guards running the numerous KZs throughout Europe were entirely separate... the WaffenSS being formed in September 1939. He joined the Waffen-SS in November 1939.
Below: The entire 200-man Waffen-SS contingent assigned to the Bachem-Werke assembled for morning roll-call.
41
The personal identity card #41051 carried by WaffenSS Oberleutant Heinz Flessner while he was assigned to the Bachem Werke. His card had beer
issued on 21 October 1944. He remained with the
Bachem group until he and a dozen others surrendered near Salzburg, Austria to the American Army's
44th Division along with three or four brand new
"Natters."
42
The 349s 4xboard sandwiched wooden main spar seen in the upper right-hand corner
The wing ribs were glued on to the main spar's leading and trailing end.
The starboard side wing providing a good view of its 4xboard sandwich main spar. It
appears that the internal structure is complete except for a piece of wood which will fit
into each rib's leading edge which is seen up at the top of the photograph.
43
Several of the individual rib blocks used in the construction of the "Natter's"
wing tips.
A Bachem Werke laborer is working on what appears to be the port wing tip for a Ba 349
Waldsee/Wrttemberg.
44
What appears to be a complete wing, except for covering, for a Ba 349 clamped
to its assembly table at the Bachem Werke, Waldsee/Wrttemberg.
A molded one-piece plywood covering which wraps around the leading edge of
a "Natter's" wing. Shown in the Ba 349 workshop at the Bachem Werke, WaaIdsee/
Wrttemberg.
45
46
47
Left: A Bachem Werke laborer, perhaps holding a glue pot, is putting final touches to a
"Natter's" horizontal stabilizer. The metal
pipe which connects each elevator can be
seen to the right of the laborer's hand.
Right: A rare photo showing the vertical stabilizer of an early Ba 349V model. Both upper and lower portions were built as one
piece and cut in half prior to installation on
the aft fuselage. The "Natter's" vertical stabilizer was substantially changed beginning
with the M-16.
48
A complete set of wooden bulkheads (the nose bulkheads for a Ba 349 begin
to the right in the photo) around which to construct the fuselage for a "Natter."
49
50
A nose port side view of a Ba 349's uncovered fuselage and nose area. In
addition to the wings being installed, it appears that the tail assembly is attached, too. Bachem Werke, Waldsee/Wrttemberg.
51
The armored windscreen of the "Natter" and it appears to have been recently installed. It fit around
and over the wooden windscreen framework.
The pilot's control stick shown in a Ba 349 under construction at Bachem Werke, Waldsee/
Wrttemberg.
52
A poor quality photo of a Ba 349 as seen from its starboard nose side. The
R4M's hexagonal rocket tube container appears to have been installed and
waits for its plywood skin and nose cone.
53
One of the Bachem Werke laborers is shown inside the unfinished cockpit cabin of
a Ba 349. This "Natter" appears in a curious position as if it were in a nose-up
attitude probably because it is mounted on a rotateable work stand.
The starboard side of a Ba 349 under construction at the Bachem Werke featuring
its tail cone assembly. This assembly could easily be attached or removed from
the fuselage so that maintenance could be done on its HWK 509 bi-fuel liquid rocketengine.
54
55
A close-up view of the tail assembly for a "Natter." Notice how the thin
plywood has been wrapped around the fuselage bulkheads after being
secured with wood glue and nails.
A poor quality photo of a new Ba 349A nearing completion at the Bachem Werke, Waldsee/
Wrttemberg and featuring the tail assembly minis its tail cone.
56
A poor quality close-up view of the Ba 349A shown in the above photo featuring the
area around the Ba 349A's HWK 509 combustion chamber which appears to be requiring plywood skinning.
57
A very poor quality photo of the work shop at the Bachem Werke, Waldsee/
Wrttemberg and featuring several 349s appearing ready to be shipped to
their launch pad.
A very poor quality photo of two Ba 349s under going completion near the wall in the
darkened Bachem Werke.
58
A poor quality photo of the Bachem Werke shop at Waldsee/Wrttemberg with several Ba 349s apparent in the fore ground.
59
The mouth of the giant wind tunnel at DVL-Adlersholf where Erich Bachem took his 1/4 scale
model of his BP-20 for wind tunnel testing.
60
A nose-on view of the "Natter" wooden model used in the LFA's high-speed
wind tunnel.
Erich Bachem was also given the use of the high-speed wind tunnel at LFA-Brunswick.
Shown in this photo is Bachem's 1/4 scale model BP-20/Ba 349V in the 9.1 foot [2.8
meter] diameter high- speed wind tunnel at LFA-Brunswick during March 1945. Wind
tunnel tests were conducted on the complete model, wing alone, and tail section alone
with various elevator settings.
61
A port side view of the 1/4 scale model of the BP-20's tail assembly as tested by LFA,
March 1945.
62
63
A starboard side view close up of the 349V seen above. This unmanned
machine would have been powered only by its 4xSchmidding 533
booster rockets. It appears to being inspected by a small group of men.
64
Another 349V as seen above but with a close-up of its tail cone where
the HWK 509 would extend out. As many as four Bachem-Werke laborers plus a man in a light-colored hat appear to be concerned with some
aspect of the middle launch rail where the 349V's ventral tail rides during lift- off.
65
Above: Lift-off of an unmanned 349 during Bachem's initial flight testing program. At the beginning several unmanned "Natters" failed even to clear the
metal frame launch tower. The reason was due to the differential thrust provided the 4xSchmidding 533 booster rocket engines. After much trial and error
the booster rockets became better coordinated.
Right: A 349V unmanned flight test machine known as M-17. It has the same words stenciled on
each of its elevators: "If found, report to Commander of Troop Exercise Control, Heuberg. Telephone: Stetten am Kalten Markt 222. REWARD!"
66
A close up of the unmanned M-17 in vertical flight. Its 4xSchmidding boosters would
operate for approximately 12 seconds and then fall off thanks to explosive bolts
developed by Karl Butter of Ernst Heinkel AG.
67
Hans Zbert told this author that he made four unpowered glider flights in Ba 349Vs. The
plan for one test flight was to have him bail out of the cockpit and descend to the ground
via parachute. The "Natter" was also lowered to the ground via its own parachute. This is
a photo of Hans Zbert (right) and the "Natter" (left) with its parachute about to open.
An unmanned 349V, with numerals 2+2 painted on the upper surfaces of its wing, appearing on its metal frame launch pad at Heuberg. Several Bachem Werke laborers are attending to some aspect of the machine prior to its take-off. Notice the unknown cylinder-shaped
projection on this "Natters" nose.
68
69
A port side, close-up, view of an unmanned 349V on its metal frame launch ramp. This author
does not know the "M" number of this Bachem test machine. Waffen-SS Oberleutnant Flessner
told this author that Erich Bachem placed dogs in the cockpit of several unmanned test "Natters."
The actual situation illustrated above. Hans Zbert is seen falling away from a
"Natter" whose parachute has opened fully. Zbert's parachute opened moments after this picture was taken.
The 349V M-8 with its fixed tricycle gear (main wheels
came from a Klemm Kl 35) minus its HWK 509 or
Schmidding 533 power plants. The M-8 was used for
gliding flight testing and was piloted by Hans Zbert.
He told this author that he had piloted the M-8 A and M8B and that Lothar Sieber test flew M-9 (M-23).
71
The test aircraft's parachute installed where the HWK 509s combustion chamber would be in the M-8A and M-8B... both piloted
by Hans Zbert to gently lower the wooden flying machine to the
ground.
Here, DFS Flugkapitn Hans Zacker in a He 111 has a cable attached to a dorsal hook about the
center of gravity of the M-8 being piloted by Horten Flugzeugbau test pilot Hans Zbert. This
means of towing is known as "carrier towing" and it was developed by DFS. Later Zbert landed
the M-8 but he recalled that given the wing's extremely high wing-loading, the M-8 had a very
short glide angle because it was sinking like a rock.
72
Several unmanned test versions of the "Natter" had their parachute located
where the HWK's 509 T-Stoff and C-Stoff fuel tanks would normally be.
A poor quality photo of a unmanned Ba 349V's fuselage as seen from its port
side wing tip. The wing's leading edge of this "Natter" is on the left. The molded
one-piece upper fuselage-rib plywood covering and shown with an "X" on each
end, has not yet been fastened down. Bachem Werke, Waldsee/Wrttemberg.
73
The center fuselage and tail assembly of one of the engine-less M-8 "Natters" which had
been piloted by Hans Zbert, "carrier towed" to altitude by the DFS Heinkel He 111, and
allowed to parachute to the ground after Zbert bailed out. This "Natter" fuselage appears
to be in relatively good shape after the ordeal. This author does not know how the Bachem
Werke test dogs fared after their ordeal.
74
75
Three unidentified Bachem Werke civilians and DFS's Flugkapitn Hans Zacker (right) standing out front of what
appears to be one of the two M-8s (M-8a and M-8b) which had been piloted by Hans Zbert. Notice, too, in the
background is a Me 262! This photo was taken at DFS-Ainring and it would be interesting to know what the Me 262
was doing there at this late hour of the war. Post war the American Army found one complete but broken up Ba
349 at DFS-Ainring. It may have been one of the two M-8s.
76
The ID card issued by the Bachem Werke for 25 year old Horten sailplane
test pilot Hans Zbert. He told this author that Erich Bachem and the SS
were making plans to start building the piloted Fieseler Fi 103 flying bomb.
In addition, Bachem, was redesigning his "Natter" into a prone- piloted position. Zbert said that no prone position "Natters" were completed prior to
war's end although Willy Fiedler was in the process of converting one Ba
349A fuselage to prone piloting.
Heuberg (near Regensburg), Spring 1945. Hans Zbert is seen on the far right
sitting with his hands on his knees. In the background is a Ba 349A mounted on a
prototype 70 foot high pine tree launch pole.
77
Hans Zbert (right) is shown sitting on a tanker wagon. He told this author
that he recalled only one scary flight while testing the "Natter." Zbert had
been towed into the air by the DFS He 111 tow plane. At the end of the flight
the final test was to detach the cockpit from the rest of the fuselage, however, the cockpit/fuselage locking mechanism would not release. He tried
and tried while seconds passed and finally it separated. Then, as the cockpit
cabin was falling to the ground with him still inside he'd release his
windscreen allowing him to exit and take to his parachute. Well, the
windscreen wouldn't release either, and now Zbert was getting scared because if too many more seconds passed then he would not have enough
time to get his parachute out and deployed. However, he was able to release
the windscreen with barely enough time to deploy his parachute before hitting the ground. Zbert told this author that if only a few more seconds had
passed by he'd not be here today talking about the "Natter" project with me.
Hans Zbert (left) and his old friend from the Bachem "Natter" days Heinz Flessner. Bad
Homburg, West Germany August 1987. Photo by the author.
78
The standard HWK 109-509A bi-fuel rocket engine of 3,750 pounds [1,700 kilograms] thrust.
Creator of the famed HWK 509 bi-fuel liquid rocket engine used
by the Me 163, Me 263, DFS 228, and the Ba 349... Hellmuth Walter.
Right: The pumping unit for the HWK 509 bi-fuel liquid rocket engine. From
the main fuel tanks, which were housed in the "Natter" behind the pilot, TStoff and C-Stoff entered the pumping unit. These fuels were then pressurized by the centrifugal impellers in the turbine pump group. The large diameter tube seen at right is the thrust tube. The small diameter tubes are
(top) C-Stoff coolant outlet pipe and (bottom) C-Stoff coolant inlet pipe.
79
A good view of the exhaust rudders installed in the jet stream aft the HWK 509's combustion chamber
orifice. A wooden tail cone would complete the installation. Either side of the of the exhaust rudders can be
seen metal rods going up to the elevators so when the pilot moved the control stick after clearing the launch
ramp during lift-off, he'd have a small amount of control in maintaining his flight path. The small diameter
pipe to the right of the combustion chamber is a scavenge pipe used to jettison unused C-Stoff remaining in
the combustion chamber after the HWK 509 has been switched off.
80
The twin separated fuel tanks for the HWK509 bi-fuel liquid rocket engine in a Hans Jordanoff
dissected view:
#28 - wing main spar
#38 -120 gallon T-Stoff tank
#39 - 66 gallon C-Stoff tank
#54 - outlet for the C-Stoff tank going to the HWK 509 engine
#55 - C-Stoff overflow pipe
81
82
Left to right:
#27 - wing main spar
#38 - T-Stoff tank
#36 - parachute container catch release cables
#40 - C-Stoff tank filler opening
#41 - ventilation pipe
#43 - armor bulkhead behind the pilot
#45 - pilot in a protective suit
#47
#46
#44
#60
#20
#48
A Ba 349A, mounted on a 70 foot pine tree pole has been refueled. Notice how the "Natter" was
lifted up to its mounting position by a chock wrapped around each wing at its wing root. A cable
extends down to each chock from a spreader bar seen here at the nose of the wooden machine.
Notice, too, the front ends of the "Natter's" Schmidding 533 booster rockets.
83
The port side of a Ba 349A mounted on its metal frame launch ramp. Notice the
paired Schmidding 533 booster rockets in black camouflage. Scale model by
Reinhard Roeser.
84
Full scale model of a Ba 349A without its outer plywood paneling. This is its starboard side and it features the two starboard side Schmidding 533 booster rocket
engines without their field service end caps.
A pen and ink drawing of the Schmidding 533 solid-fuel rocket booster engines of the type and
arrangement used on the Ba 349. These rocket boosters were heavy. Each 533 weighed 187 pounds
[85 kilograms]. Attachment gear/explosive bolts weighed another 22 pounds [10 kilograms] each.
The diglycol-dinitrate solid propellant weighed 88 pounds [40 kilograms] for a total of 297 pounds
each.
85
Another view of a Ba 349A's port side Schmidding 533 booster rocket engines.
The rear end of what appears to be a Ba 349A "Natter" under construction at Bachem
Werke, Waldsee/Wrttemberg. Notice that this machine has 4xSchmidding 533 booster
rockets installed and see how their exhaust cones angle outward.
86
A close-up view of a set of Schmidding 533 booster rockets attached to the port side of a Ba 349A. This "Natter" is mounted on
a 70 foot high fresh cut pine tree pole launcher.
87
A pen and ink drawing of the BMW 003R combined turbine jet and
rocket-drive engine. During the post war interrogation of Willy
Fiedler he stated that Erich Bachem was considering mounting
this combined engine in the fuselage of a Ba 349A or 349B (this
was confirmed by Hans Zbert to this author). Willy Fielder did
not elaborate on this proposed design modification to the American interrogators so it is not exactly known today how well a
"Natter" would lift itself off the ground in pursuit of Allied bomber
formations. The thrust provided by the BMW 003R itself would be
no where sufficient to lift it off vertically. Thus a 349A or B so
equipped with the 003R would have to have wheels and a runway.
It has been shown that Me 262's were pretty much shot up and
destroyed by P-47s and P-51s they attempted takeoffs and landings. We can assume the same would have occurred to any 003R
equipped Ba 349As. But then a "Natter" so equipped might still be
shot off vertically were it to also have 4xSchmidding 533 booster
rocket engines.
88
Two views of the BMW 003R port side and rear view looking forward. The 003R was basically a standard 003A of
1,700 pounds thrust with the addition of a BMW 718 bi-fuel liquid rocket producing a thrust of 2,700 pounds for a
period of three minutes. BMW designed the combination engine for aircraft interceptors requiring immense power
for climbing in pursuit of high-flying Allied bombers. The HWK 509 produced 3,750 pounds[1,700 kilograms] thrust
plus the 4xSchmidding booster rockets produced another 4,408 pounds (combined) [2,000 kilograms combined]
thrust for twelve seconds. Thus for twelve seconds the 4,920 lift-off weight "Natter" was propelled sky-ward with
8,158 pounds of thrust. Now a "Natter" could well lift off the ground with a single BMW 003R with its combined thrust
of 4,400 pounds plus for three minutes with 4xSchmidding 533 booster rockets putting out their combined total
4,408 pounds of thrust for twelve seconds.
89
This is pretty much how a Ba 349A was going to bring down one or more
Allied bombers. The "Natter" would unlash all of its 24 R4M 73 mm rocket
shells with their proximity fuses right into the bomber formation.
A poor quality pen and ink illustration of a 73 mm R4M rocket attack by Me 110s on a
formation of B-17 heavy bombers over Germany. Erich Bachem believed that his 349A
would bring about the same results and this is how he sold the idea to Reichsfhrer-SS
Heinrich Himmler.
90
After a 73 mm R4M's release its eight stabilizing fins sprung open. Each R4M carried 500
grams of Hexogen explosive (tetra methylenetrinitramine). Approximately 20,000 R4Ms
were manufactured by the Kratzau Werke in
the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia before the
factory and its store of new R4Ms were overtaken by the Red Army. It is estimated that
about only 1,000 R4Ms were delivered to the
Luftwaffe... the remaining 19,000 lost to the
Soviets.
91
An under wing rack of 73 mm R4M rocket shells installed on the starboard wing of a Me
262.
The National Space and Aeronautics Museum's T2-1011(Ba 349A) in storage at Silver
Hill, Maryland. Only one solitary R4M rocket shell remains in its rusting 73mm hexagon
rocket rack.
92
The nose of the BA349 was pretty much filled up with its 24 R4M rocket shells.
This "Natter" has been photographed at Freeman Field post war. The R4M was
initially meant for the Me 110 only, but later, after its unexpected successes, it
was released for general use on Bf 109s, the Fw 190, and then for use by all
Luftwaffe aircraft including the Me 262. The success of the R4M exceeded all
expectations. During a first trial attack in Spring 1945, the whole attack lasting
only a few minutes, six R4M-carrying Me 262s claimed to have shot down fifteen
B-17E bombers out of an attacking formation at a range of about one mile [1,700
meters] without loss to themselves. Later, in the closing days of the war, it was
reported that in April 1945, twenty-four Fw 190s, again without loss to themselves,
using R4M rocket shells destroyed 40 Allied bombers.
93
A Ba 349A minus is R4M rocket tube cover. The individual sheet metal rocketholding tubes are clearly visible in this nearly completed "Natter" at the
Bachem Werke, Waldsee/Wrttemberg.
Below: A pen and ink drawing of a R4M 73 mm rocket shell hexagon rack and
its position within the "Natter's" nose cone: from the port side (left) and a
front on view (right).
94
Below left: A welded up 53 mm R4M rocket shell canister for holding 32 rockets and
installed in the nose of a "Natter" to check for fit and alignment. It is not known to
this author if any "Natter" was equipped with the 32 55 mm R4M rocket canister
such as the one shown.
Right: A pen and ink 2-view drawing of how the proposed 32 55 mm R4M rocket
tubes would appear as installed in a Ba 349A or B. Port side (left) and nose (right).
A pen and ink close-up drawing of a 32 55 mm R4M rocket canister plus one of its
55 mm rocket shells.
95
Field assembly for a highly modified Ba 349. First its cockpit open area is smaller
than ones found on the Ba 349A. The bulkhead behind the pilots head is different, too, being more vertical. Finally, field technician shown appears have removed or is the process of installing the armament pack containing as many as
a 46 R4M rocket unit electric firing assembly. Numbers stenciled on the nose
section/armament pack are appear to start with 65 32?, however, the last numerals are obstructed by the technician's right hand. It is not known to this author
what these numbers mean.
96
Left: Oberleutnant Lothar Sieber. Many stories circulate about this test pilot's background, such as the
allegation that he had been sentenced to a military
prison. When approached to do the first manned test
flight he accepted... provided he could spend a twoweek vacation with his girl friend or wife before the
manned test flight. Willy Fiedler in a telephone conversation with this author said that what has been
written about Lothar Sieber is myth. First, Lothar
Sieber had not been in prison and released to pilot
the first manned flight of the "Natter." Sieber, said
Fiedler had lost his officer's rank in the Luftwaffe as
a result of a court martial proceeding. He was told
that he could get his rank back by becoming a test
pilot for the Bachem Werke. Fiedler said that Sieber
never told anyone why he was court martialed in the
first place and no one asked.
Right: Oberleutnant Lothar Sieber. Sieber was an accomplished pilot with a great many flying hours.
Fiedler told this author that Sieber was also a person of considerable daring and this is why Erich
Bachem wanted him. Prior to being assigned to
Bachem Werke, Sieber had volunteered to fly a Junkers Ju 52 transport all alone into the Soviet occupied
Ukraine to rescue some partisans. Sieber took the
Ju 52 in before dawn. The signal was to be a fire burning next to a meadow where it was safe to land. This
he did. But as the Ju 52 rolled to a stop, he was surprised by what appeared to be men from the Red
Army. Sieber felt at that moment that it was all over.
However, the partisans were dressed in the Red Army
clothes. Sieber felt that he was a very lucky man to
have gotten out of the Ukraine alive.
97
In the lower right corner Oberleutnant Sieber in the flight suit is standing next to Erich Bachem. It is 28 February 1945 and snow covers the
ground. In the background is Sieber's Ba 349V M-23 which is being
made flight ready by Bachem Werke workers.
Lothar Sieber is climbing into the cockpit of the Ba 349V M-23 minutes before his history- making
lift-off. Not very many people were present to witness this first manned flight of a "Natter" which
had been camouflaged in a mottle pattern. Numerals 2+3 had been painted on the upper surface
of the wing while numerals 1+4 were painted on the underside.
98
Left: Erich Bachem has climbed up a ladder to see for himself that Sieber is seated
securely and that the cockpit canopy of the
M-23 is closed and locked in preparation
for lift-off.
99
The M-23 well beyond its metal frame launch tower. On the ground is
a huge bank of smoke... products of the HWK 509 and the 4xSchmidding
533 booster rockets. Willy Fielder told this author that the "Natter"
rose slowly, without incident, from its tower then did a half roll and
continued on its steep climb up.
100
A honor guard from the West German Luftwaffe paying tribute to Lothar Sieber at his grave site in the village
of Heuberg near Stetten. Heuberg honors Sieber because he was the first person to make a vertical start in a
bi-fuel liquid rocket... the first anywhere in the world, and it happened at Heuberg in early 1945.
Left: This is a reverse angle photo of the Sieber and the M-23 showing that it is out of control. It will crash
down while still under power moments later. Willy Fiedler was a witness to the loss of Sieber and the M-23. He
told this author that upon Sieber's lift-off he pressed his stop-watch. It continue to tick until he saw the
"Natter" arch over and begin its dive back to earth. At that point he stopped the watch. The time from lift-off to
the "Natters" arch over and dive to earth lasted 55 seconds. Willy Fiedler told this author that although the
cockpit canopy flew open and off he did not believe that the opening of the hinged canopy could have struck
Sieber either in the back of the neck or head. He believed that when the canopy flew off the open cockpit
disturbed the air flow over the machine and this created adverse moments on the "Natter's" rudder. As a
result, says Fiedler, the "Natter" may have gone out of control due to this unbalanced air flow and maybe then
Sieber could do nothing to bring the "Natter" back under control, save it, or himself.
101
Up to ten Ba 349As were found at war's end near, including this Mark
II version, near St. Leonard, Austria. When found it was unpainted,
without wood joint sealant, and without camouflage. Notice that no
national insignia appears on this machine... this is because RLM policy
did not allow insignia on any disposable aircraft. The 349A in this photo
is on a simple wagon normally used to move the "Natter" around the
launch site. It is secured by two web straps as shown in this pen and
ink drawing. One strap was placed just aft of the cockpit canopy while
the second was just forward of the center fuselage/tail assembly breakpoint.
The Ba 349As found at St. Leonard, Austria were being transported on simple four-wheeled wooden
wagons as well as more heavy duty wagons. Waffen-SS Oberleutnant Flessner told this author
that near the end of the war he received the order to release his 200 men to the reserve units.
Some of his best he kept to help him take three "Natters" to the Alps. Flessner wasn't given any
reason; after all, Germany's unconditional surrender was at hand. Nevertheless, he, several officials from the Bachem Werke, and 13 of his hand-picked men transported three "Natters" to the
top of a valley in Austria and were told to wait for the Americans to arrive. He believes that Erich
Bachem and others felt that the Americans might want to perfect the "Natter" for their upcoming
fight with the Russians.
102
103
In this poor quality photo Dr. Rieck appears to be getting ready to climb
into the cockpit of a Ba 349A to show his American captors at St. Leonard
how it's done.
104
A poor quality photo of the nose-on view of the "Natter" which Dr. Rieck has
disappeared into as a demonstration for the Americans.
A poor quality photo showing Dr. Rieck climbing into the same Ba 349A to give the Americans a view as to how it was done by a Bachem Werke test pilot.
105
The object in this photo appears to be the entire upside down nose section
from a Ba 349A. Rudder foot pedals can be seen at the top of the object along
with other miscellaneous cables. This nose section was also found at St.
Leonard, Austria.
Another view of one of the ten Ba 349As found at a mountain top site near St. Leonard,
Austria. The American Gl is pointing to the exhaust orifice of the HWK 509's bi-fuel rocket
engine. The nose of another Ba 349A is to the immediate right and shows empty R4M 73
mm rocket rack.
106
Like the several abandoned and dead Ba 349A's found postwar, the body of the "Natter's" powerful
supporter Reichsfhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler lies dead, too, after swallowing a capsule of cyanide
several hours after being arrested by the American military as he and several of his SS colleagues
attempted to pass through a check point and were detained for questioning. Himmler had shaved
off his mustache and was wearing a black eye patch to help him look like someone other than the
feared and powerful figure he had become. Himmler was born 1900 and died by his own hand 23
May 1945 at #031 Civilian Interrogation Camp, Luneburg, Germany.
107
A starboard side/nose view of Ba 349A T2-1011 at Freeman Field and featuring its 24 R4M rocket tubes. During lift-off these rocket shells would be
protected by a jettisonable plexiglass nose-cone.
A Ba 349A "Natter" on a wood stand beneath the trees. The camouflage on this
machine is much different from that found on Ba 349A T2-1011. Is this the second
"Natter" reported by General McDonald to have been delivered to the United States
post-war? It probably is.
108
109
The T2-1011 and seen from overhead featuring its starboard nose side at Freeman Field. The shiny band painted on the starboard wing was added post war.
It was a black band with a red Halkenkreuz (swastika) appearing inside. Completely non regulation as well as the fuselage's paint job.
110
The T2-1011 (Ba 349A) as seen from its port side nose. To the upper left corner of the is a
white tank with a second tank beneath it. This item is the fuel tank which was built into
each HWK 509 powered "Natter." It also was on display for civilians. The larger top tank
held T-Stoff while the smaller tank held C-Stoff.
111
112
Below: The T2-1011 inside a hangar at Freeman Field showing its full complement of R4M rocket
shells. Today at the NASM's restoration/storage facility, Silver Hill, Maryland only one rocket shell
remains in its nose rocket rack.
113
What appears to be a Ba 349V without any plywood covering on its fuselage, wings, and
tail unit. It appears, too, to have been constructed as a construction aid so that new laborers could gain a visual acquaintance of the machine they were building. Location and date
unknown to this author.
Left: This is the second known Ba 349A to have survived up to the present time. It is owned
by the Deutsches Museum, Munich. Although the photo presented is black and white, this
Ba 349A has been faithfully camouflaged in the colors of the M-17, and right down to the
stenciled reward information on the tail plane. A very nice restoration. Photographed by
Gary Hethcoat.
114
NASM's Ba 349A and known as the T2-1011 from its post-war evaluation at Freeman Field. Behind the 349A is the fuselage of a former Japanese G4M Ishiki
Rikukoh "Betty" bomber. Both machines have been photographed at NASM's
Silver Hill Restoration Center, Silver Hill, Maryland.
The Deutsches Museum's M-17 painted Ba 349. The size of the M-17 (small) can be judged by the man
standing near its port side Schmidding 533 booster rocket and the port side elevator. Photographed
by Gary Hethcoat.
115
116
117
It appears that a spreader bar with two cables are used to haul
the "Natter" (a Ba 349A shown on the tower) up on the metal
frame launching ramp. Scale model by Reinhard Roeser.
Left: The "Natter" was attached to this near vertical metal frame launching ramp
which had three guide rails. According to expert gliding test pilot Hans Zbert who
was on loan to Bachem from Horten brothers, the metal launch tower was a relatively complicated piece of equipment about 65.5 feet [20 meters] high. It was rotatable and inclined from 90 degrees to 120 degrees. Scale model by Reinhard Roeser.
118
The RLM authorized under-surface color for the "Natter" was White 21.
Scale model by Reinhard Roeser.
Left: Uppersurface camouflage of the typical "Natter" consisted of Light Blue 76 with
a dense mottle of Gray-Violet 75. Scale model by Reinhard Roeser.
119
In this photo a Ba 349A is about to be lifted up off its cradle. The tow truck seen in the far right of the
photo is being used to pull the cable which wraps around a large diameter pulley at the top of the pine
tree and then comes down where it is attached to a spreader bar, each cable attached to the "Natter" via
removable wooden stocks wrapping around the wing at their wing-root.
Left: The use of a simple pine tree stripped of all its limbs and bark and secured several yards into the
ground, perhaps in concrete, would be the finalized way of launching "Natters," up at Allied bomber
formations throughout Germany.
120
The "Natter," as seen from its port side, has been lifted off of its cradle and Bachem Werke
personnel are man-handling the 349A to bring it vertical along side the pine pole.
In this view we see the starboard side of the "Natter" being lifted up to be
secured to the pine tree pole launcher. Underside the starboard wing
appears a painted on "dash" to track it visually after lift-off.
121
A view of the "Natter" from its starboard side and behind. For
ease of tracking after lift-off, this 349A has a cross painted on the
upper surface of its starboard wing. The port wing has a large,
painted on circle.
The "Natter" appears to be fully secured to its pine tree pole launching apparatus. On the
underside of its port wing Bachem Werke personnel have painted what appears to be a
triangle... helpful when tracking the machine after lift-off.
122
The pine tree pole launching system as seen from several hundred
feet away. This author is unaware of any photographs showing a
"Natter" being flight tested from a pine tree pole launch.
The Ba 349A's mounted on its cheap and quickly accomplished 70 foot high fresh-cut pine
tree pole launching device. All is ready now, and dawn is breaking.
123
Depicted here is Oberleutant Lothar Sieber's M-23 on a pine tree pole launcher. Bachem Werke personnel
have removed the tail assembly in order to service its HWK 509 bi-fuel liquid rocket engine. Another
"Natter" is on its wooden cradle and being carried by a 2.5 ton Henschel truck. Scale model and photographed by Jamie Davies.
A poor quality pen and ink drawing from the Bachem Werke of
a proposed highway portable launching device known as the
"Fahr-Lafette." It appears that two "Natters" could be transported on this device. When it came time to fire them one of the
"Natters" would be removed and the entire device placed on
its trailer-towing end as shown in the illustration. This author
is not aware if any 349's were tested fired on the "Lafette."
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The nose and cockpit canopy of M-23 as seen from the top of its pine tree pole launcher. A
second Ba 349A and giving a good view of its planform is on the end of a 2 1/2 ton Henschel
truck. Scale model and photographed by Jamie Davies.
The M-23, giving a good view of its HWK 509 thrust tube and combustion
chamber, is shown mounted on a pine tree pole launcher. Its tail assembly is
on the 2 1/2 ton Henschel truck. Notice the cluttered burnt ground around
the launch site. Its cluttered with spent Schmidding 533 solid fuel rocket
booster engines. Scale model and photographed by Jamie Davies.
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126
A Ba 349A shortly after clearing the launch tower is reaching for an Allied bomber formation's attitude. It is still using its auxiliary Schmidding 533 solid rocket boosters.
About twelve seconds after lift-off these spent boosters were released and fell away. The simplified B6 Balkenkruez applied to the wing's under surfaces is outlined in
black. Scale model and photographed by Jamie Davies.
Opposite: A new appearing Ba 349A mounted on its pine
tree pole launcher. The Balkenkruez, the late war simplified B6 style outlined in white, has been applied to
the upper surfaces of both wings. Scale model and photographed by Jamie Davies
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The port side rear view of Ba 349A in flight as seen from above heading into the sun. Scale model and photographed by Jamie Davies.
A Ba 349A has leveled off at an altitude which will bring it face to face with an Allied bomber formation. Notice that this "Natter's" plexiglass nose cone is still in place but
it will soon be jettisoned as it positions itself to fire off the 24 R4M 73 mm rocket shells. Scale model and photographed by Jamie Davies.
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THIS NEW SERIES FEATURES THE UNUSUAL AND SELDOM SEEN AIRCRAFT
OF THE THIRD REICH
The pilot-operated Bachem Ba 349 "Natter" ("Adder") was one of several unexpected new weapons Germany was seeking to perfect for a more effective defense against Allied heavy bombers. The idea of the ground-to-air missile to slow
down, if not stop, attacking aircraft was one of the greatest developments to come
out of World War II, and Germany led the field. David Myhra has taken 240 photographs and illustrations from his collection and presents the world's first defense
interceptor missile - the manned Ba 349 "Natter."